Top Bahrain health expert urges to take booster doses as fear of new variant grows

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

A top Bahrain health expert yesterday called on all to take booster doses as more countries tightened border controls over concerns regarding the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus.

Yesterday, the UAE, Oman, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Australia and several other countries joined world nations by imposing restrictions on travel from South Africa.

Bahrain, Britain and the EU took similar measures on Friday.

Bahrain had reinstated its Red List by including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Eswatini.

Meaning, Bahrain suspended entry to travellers from these countries on all flights, including those who had transited through Red List countries.

Omicron dubbed a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organisation, is potentially more contagious than previous variants of the disease.

It was first discovered in South Africa and later in Belgium, Botswana, Israel and Hong Kong.

Citing the circumstances, Dr Jameela Al Salman said, “It is crucial to take the booster dose for its effectiveness in enhancing immunity.”

Dr Al Salman, a member of the National Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus (Covid-19) and Salmaniya Medical Complex Infectious and Internal Diseases consultant, said this citing the calls made by the countries monitoring the new variant to complete the specified doses of vaccination and booster doses.

“Doing this will help our body form antibodies to battle the coronavirus and thereby enhance immunity,” she stressed, calling on groups most vulnerable to take their doses.

“It’s necessary for elderly people and those having chronic diseases to complete their booster doses to avoid serious complications in the event of contracting an infection with the virus,” Dr Al Salman said. She also pointed out that the national vaccination campaign continues to achieve communal immunity. Vaccination, the doctor said, is necessary to protect individuals and society from the Coronavirus, stressing the importance of commitment to COVID-19 preventive measures.

In Britain, the main opposition Labour Party called on yesterday for a faster booster vaccination programme, saying the gap between the second vaccination dose and the booster jab should be cut from six to five months.

“This new variant is a wake-up call,” said Labour’s junior health spokesman Alex Norris.

“The pandemic is not over.

We need to urgently bolster our defences to keep the virus at bay.”

“Failure to help vaccinate sub-Saharan Africa - still barely 4% of the population - left us all exposed to the risk of a new, more virulent #COVIDvariant,” IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva tweeted on Friday.

“News of #Omicron is an urgent reminder of why we need to do even more to vaccinate the world.”